When Women Were Warriors
by taintedmusings
Summary: Set during the Bronze Ages, Arizona has reached her twenty-first year of age, following tradition she must now travel to Lady Regina's House to be trained as a companion in the hope of become a warrior. Apprenticed to a young, mysterious and reserved dark and beautiful 'old one', what will happen when the unsteady peace between neighbouring tribes are broken and war is declared?
1. Chapter 1

**_I take no credit whatsoever, this is my spin on_** ** __** ** _Shonda_** ** __** ** _Rhimes_** ** _'_** ** _and Catherine Wilson's amazing imagination and creations. If you haven't already read the When Women Were Warriors trilogy go and do it now._** ****

 ** _I'm not quite sure about this story but I'll see how it takes with you guys._** ****

 _I will miss you old friend_ , she thought to herself as her fingers pushed their way through the earth beneath her; closing her eyes she allowed the gentle sounds of the forest to engulf her as she leaned on her favourite ash tree. Opening her eyes she looked down at the mud on her hands and wiped it on the dark brown fabric of the dress her mother had made her for her eighteenth birthday, a day short of three years ago. Turning her attention to the woven basket she had placed beside her, she brought it onto her lap and looked through its contents "Nettles, lavender, fever-few, aloe vera…" she listed off the herbs and plants making sure she had gathered a sufficient amount of supplies for her mother before she made the journey back home. It wasn't that her mother was incapable of tracking down the ingredients in the forest, she simply wanted to make sure her mother had a strong amount of supplies before she left in the morning, now that she would be alone.

She didn't know exactly how she was supposed to feel. Both her mother and her grandmother had prepared her for this moment her whole life. As the only daughter of Emmahlia, daughter of Tamra, her twenty-first birthday meant the journey to the House that all the women in her family had gone to before her for the preparation of war. By the time her mother had gained her shield and become a warrior, an uneasy peace had been made between the tribes, a peace that so far remained unbroken. It wasn't that she was afraid of going to Lady Regina's House, or the possibility for war for that matter, but with her older brother Timarion choosing to join the male aids of the Lady's House only two summers ago and the death of their grandmother four winters prior, her departure made an empty household for her mother.

The sun, weak from its descent into the west brought an amber glow as she made her way back home, tall grass brushed against her knees as she walked briskly through her village, thanking those who congratulated her on her journey to warriorhood.

"Arizona!"

 _Please Goddess_ _and Mother, don't let it be-_ her thoughts were cut off as low and behold Kia, daughter of Kiamra, pushed open the wood of her front door and made her way down to the Arizona. She had tried with all of her might to pass Kia's house without being seen however the auburn haired girl was heading straight for her.

"Hello Kia" she said nervously whilst giving her house only a few stones down. Smoke danced from the chimney which meant her mother was still cooking her dinner. _If I have not passed through that door in the next few moments my mother will give my dinner to the goats,_ _and that's happened too many times this week already._

"Congratulations" Kia offered as she stood in front of Arizona tugging at the long grey sleeves of her top, "are you excited?" The amber light bounced onto the taller girls face and the way that her green eyes shone through her eyelashes made Arizona liken her to Yannah, daughter of Iona's cat that she regularly saw hunting for mice on her daily journeys to the woods.

"Extremely, I am actually on my way to have my last dinner with my mother so I am unable to speak with you for too long" she offered, trying intensely to make it home before the sky turned red.

"I just wanted to wish you farewell… well farewell until fall when I join the Lady's House myself" she said with a small smile across her mouth, Arizona witnessed the flash of hope dance across her eyes as she looked down at her. Kia had been her friend for many years now and her mother had joked that they would be betrothed after they both returned with shields, she knew that Kia had feelings for her, but other than a singular kiss Arizona had no intention of making Kia her betrothed. She found the girl to be like every other girl or boy in her village, settled and comfortable.

"I'm sure you won't waste any time seeking me out on your arrival" she said only half joking.

"That I will not" she said with a mischievous smirk that did not go unnoticed by the blonde, "please thank Emmahlia from my mother, she hasn't had a headache since your mother came to see her three days ago."

"I will, I'm glad Kiamra is feeling better, I hope both her her and your father well, my mother values their friendship… I must say goodbye as I'm worried my mother will value nothing but the nearest thing she can throw at me for arriving so late" she said with a laugh before turning to follow the stone path to her home at the top of the small hill. Before she could put one foot in front of the other Kia had taken hold of her hand and Arizona was met with glossy emerald eyes.

"May your journey be safe and your arrival prompt. I will miss you Arizona, daughter or Emmahlia" she whispered before planting a soft kiss on the smaller woman's lips. It was over quicker than it had begun and within seconds she watched as Kia closed the door behind her.

 _Please don't make me deal with the aftermath of that in the fall… please_ she asked silently to the Goddess whilst looking up to the sky. "Shit" she sighed as her eyes dropped to her mother standing at their front door on top of the hill, whistling down at her daughter who was almost, no _always,_ late for everything. Placing her free hand over the top of her full basket for security she sprinted up the hill before coming face to face with her disgruntled mother. "I know, I know, I'm sorry. I ran into Kia and-"

"Say no more" Emmahlia cut her off with a smirk and before Arizona could tell her mother that for the millionth time she did not want to pursue Kia, Emmahlia lifted her finger and pointed to the basket of wood to her right, "Bring some firewood in my love, the fire is dwindling and we have a lot to prepare."

xxxxxxxxx

Full from rabbit soup and exhausted from packing the rucksack that Emmahlia had woven especially for tomorrow, Arizona sat on her bed and took her shoes off. She looked down at the stone cold floor and wondered when the next time she would be sitting there doing this again would be. Standing up she took the fire lantern from her wall and walked through to the main room of the house. The fire pit was placed in the centre of the main room and her mother sat to the left going through the basket that she had brought home from the forest. She watched as she took a handful of basil seed and stood to walk towards the shelves that were behind her, underneath the closed left window. The light from the fire shone onto the bottles and produced beautifully coloured lights across the walls and ceiling. She watched as her mother gently moved the grinders, bowls, books and other items onto the table beside her. Her mother was a healer, as was her mother before her and so on, Emmalhia had passed on to her daughter everything she knew however the blonde had never shown much interest in following the footsteps of the women of her family and becoming a healer.

"I will miss you terribly" her mother sighed, her back still to Arizona, putting the objects she had moved back to their designated spot.

Arizona watched her mother, tears begging to flow freely, dressed in a blue gown she had had since she could remember. Standing at the same height as herself, her mother's long blonde and naturally straight hair was tied into a singular braid. Turning around and walking up to her only daughter she took Arizona's hand and brought them both to the ground where she had previously sat. "I have been writing to Lady Regina more frequently this past year in preparation of your upcoming birthday, and she has done nothing but reassure me that she will treat you as if you were her own".

"I can't wait to finally meet her and put a face to the stories once and for all" Arizona laughed as she looked down at her hands that her mother's thumbs were soothingly stroking. Lady Regina had been a known name in her household since before her birth and it had been present when she was not yet a lady but Regina, heir and daughter of Lady Cora, and the shield sister of her mother. "You will not be disappointed in the face that you will find" her mother replied with the smile that reaches her eyes every time she spoke of the Lady, coughing and letting the glazed look from her eyes disappear she leant forward and kissed her daughter on the forehead. For years Arizona had wondered why her mother would go into a dream-like state whenever she spoke of her shield sister. Her brother once dared her to ask their father about it when she was of the age of nine and the then title-less Regina was planning on visiting, he had told her not to mention that name around him or her mother. As it so happened, the Lady had not visited and her name was never mentioned again around her father, right up to his death when she was thirteen.

Shuffling so she was now laying on the floor with her head on her mother's knee, she stared into the fire and watched as the embers fought above the flames. "I don't want to leave you here alone" she sighed.

"I am not alone Arizona, I have the village, I have my books and herbs and most of all I have you and your brother. All I need to do is send a kiss or a cuddle to the wind and the Mother will bring them straight to your heart." She said with a loving smile looking down at her daughter who was the image of her younger self, although Arizona's hair had a slight wave to it, the shade was almost identical to Emmahlia's, she bore the same dimples in her cheeks as her own and her eyes were similar in shape and colour, with Arizona's being just a couple shades darker of blue. "You best go to sleep my daughter" she said as she traces her fingers over Arizona's features, trying to memorise every curve of her child's face. Not that she needed to of course, "we have a long journey ahead of us".

"Please tell me one of your stories Mother" she pleaded, her eyes drooping, tired from sleep.

"You would think you were too old for stories Lady Arizona" she joked as she played with the blonde hair that was sprayed across her lap.

"I'll never be too old for your stories" she replied with her eyes now closed.

"Fine, but you're only getting a short one. In ancient days, when only women were warriors…"

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On the fifth day of travelling Emmahlia and Arizona reached Lady Regina's grounds. They had travelled through country that Arizona had grown alongside and she knew well, it was not until mid-morning of the second day they had left behind the world that she had known. They had walked through meadows, gentler hills and grass, passing through neighbouring villagers and grazing cattle. Travellers to the Lady's House had for century's been welcomed by all they passed, meaning they never went hungry or lacked a place to spend the night as they had been welcomed like they had welcomed travellers in the past.

"I never imagined it to be so big" Arizona said, her mouth open in amazement and her eyes wide. She looked over to her mother for some sort of approval or comment and found a furrowed brow and glazed eyes. _I never thought of how hard this place would be for her;_ Arizona thought to herself, _I always forget she lost her three older sisters to these grounds when the war was still in its height._ "It's just like you described it… but I still never imagined size" she whispered touching her mother's arm. That seemed to take her out of the spell that she was under as she looked into the darker eyes of her daughter, giving a small smile she took her daughters hand and began walking to the gates of the castle.

"In ancient days, when only women were warriors" Emmahlia began, causing Arizona to tilt her head towards her, "lived a queen whose lands were rich and whose people were content, and under her protection lived in peace". Arizona had heard this story countless of times in the past, yet every time she did, she listened with wiser ears. "One dark day, the queen's daughter, a young woman skilled in the hunt, rode out with her companions. All day they rose, past the time they should have returned home, but they found no game, and the queen's daughter would not turn back. At last they saw a red deer at the edge of the wood, and they loosed their hounds to run it down. The queen's daughter, her hunting spear in hand, rode after it as it vanished amongst the trees. The wood belonged to a tribe with whom the queen had once been at war, although many years had passed since there had been strife between them. On that dark day, the son of the queen whose forest it was also hunted there. He saw the red deer bound from between the trees and sent his spear after it. The deer leaped aside, and the spear struck the woman who pursued it. Late that night her companions brought her body home, ties across her horse's back where they should have tied the body of the deer. For nine days the queen gave herself to grief. Then she prepared to ride against her neighbours, to take the blood that her daughter's blood demanded. On the morning of the tenth day, the queen armed herself and called together the warriors of her household. As they made ready to set out, a young woman rode along into their midst. At first they thought that she was one of their clan, come to ride with her queen, but no one knew her, and she bore no arms. She dismounted and approached the queen and knelt as one of the queen's warrior's would do. When she arose she lifted her cloak, and by her clothing all could see that she was of the tribe that had taken the life of the queen's daughter. Her golden necklace marked her as the daughter of the queen against whom the prepared to ride. As swords were drawn, the girl stood still, never taking her eyes from the queen. "I have come to replace the one you lost" she said. "My mother sends me with this message: If your child's blood demands it, take the blood of this child of mine, but if you need a queen's daughter to succeed you, take my daughter for your own." The queen drew her sword and set its point against the girl's breastbone and in her eyes saw fear and courage. Seldom has it happened that wisdom will conquer anger or that grief will yield to compassion, but that day the queen's heart was satisfied. To spare another mother the grief she knew herself, the queen put away her sword and took the daughter of her enemy as her own, and both tribes lived in safety and in peace forever after." Emmahlia paused and looked at the young woman that was her daughter as they reached the gates of Lady Regina's House. "So it is custom that a free woman leave her mother's house to bind herself and those of her blood to a neighbouring clan, either by sword or by cradle."

Looking into the light eyes of her mother, Arizona took a shaky breath and squeezed her mother's hand. "Happy twenty-first day of birth my daughter and may you become the woman and warrior you are destined to be. This is your new home".

Xxxxxxx

Inside the fortress a stone walkway led the pair past pens were numerous animals were kept. Sheds scattered around, Arizona noticed one was a pottery shed when a chicken which has escaped from the pen somehow managed to knock down a bronze chalice, breaking it into pieces. A low chuckle left her mouth as she saw an older woman shooing the animal away, screaming over her precious pottery. She looked around, taking in the scenes that unfolded around her. She had never seen so many women in her life; she saw the odd male dotted around however there were at least ten women to every man she saw. She looked around, noticing women sparring, eating, drinking and working on the grounds, all wearing similar attire. Pulling her out of her thoughts she felt her mother's hand on her arm. "That is Regina's House" she said looking over to the largest house Arizona had ever seen. The timber walls towered over everyone there and Arizona couldn't help but compare it to the walls of the stone cottage she grew up in. The massive door of hewn planks stood open and walking through it they reached the great hall of the house where many of the household had gathered for a meal.

Women and men filled the benches and Arizona noticed the fire in the open hearth at the far end of the hall. Weapons decorated the walls, swords, axes and spears covered them, the blonde couldn't take her eyes from them, especially the shields. Arizona felt her mother stiffen up against her and heard her breath hitch. Quickly scanning her face for trouble she followed her gaze, where she found Lady Regina at the high table that was situated at the high table at the far end of the room, only a few feet in front of the fire. Although it they were a good few metres away from each other, Arizona could see the same glazed over eyes staring back at her mother. Regina was as dark as her mother was fair and equally as beautiful. Her skin was slightly more tanned than hers or her mother's yet she could see it had flushed since her silent interaction with her mother. Regina's eyes and hair were as dark as each other, her hair pinned up from her face and she could see a gold necklace which represented her title sitting across her collarbones. She wore a green gown that Arizona assumed was floor-length, accompanied by a purple sash and a baldric for her sword. It wasn't until the Lady shifted her eyes onto Arizona that she heard her mother exhaling. She watched as the Lady stood, beckoning to one of her servants before whispering in their ear. She noticed that during the Lady's interaction that she did not see dark eyes leave light blues once.

Arizona and her mother were brought to the high table; hand in hand they walked through the aisles of benches. Arizona could feel all eyes on her, she felt them burning into the back of her head as she surpassed them all and with her mother in hand reached the table where the Lady was now standing to greet them. Slowly bringing her eyes from her mother and resting them onto darker eyes, Regina smiled as she looked down at Arizona. Arizona set aside the nerves and embarrassment she was feeling as she stood at the top of the great hall taking in every feature of the Lady's face, right down to the small scar on her top lip and placed them in every story she had ever heard her mother tell that involved her once faceless shield sister. Her eyes held Arizona's and she drew her sword. Her mother had gone through this part with her since she was a little girl, even practicing it with trigs she'd bring home from the woods. She was more than ready for this. Arizona stared into her dark eyes and watched them stare back, however she realised that it was not her eyes she was staring back at, only the Lady knew what her gaze rested on. Arizona's stomach fluttered and it took all of her strength not to jolt as she could have sworn she heard the ding of a battle, how would she have even known what that sound was? The smoke of burning homes and fields drifted before her eyes and the smell of burning reached her nostrils on a sudden breeze. Regina withdrew her sword and placed it in its home at her hip, she smiled down at Arizona and the sounds and smells of the hall were they only sounds and smells she experienced.

Taking her eyes from Arizona she looked over to Emmahlia whose face was bursting with pride and whose eyes were full whilst staring into her daughters face. "Emma… it has been too many summers" she sighed. _Emma?_ Arizona thought to herself, she had heard no one, not her father or her grandmother ever refer to her mother as _Emma_ before.

 **Ahhhhhh, so what do you guys think? I know it's slow and Callie hasn't come into it yet but I just wanted to see if this story would take! Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2: The Old One

**_Remember: I own nothing!_**

 ** _Just in case you're wondering why Regina asked Emma why it had been so long since she saw her when Tim was already at the House, it is only custom for a mother to present their daughters_** ** __** ** _to their Lady. It is not traditional for men to become warriors, they are the home makers and craft and tradesmen, but some do however join the Lady's army._** ****

Arizona had been placed on a table with a group of girls that were of similar age to her as her mother stayed at the top table, engaged in the Lady's conversation. "Happy Birthday" the girl to her right said to her which made her shoulders loosen and a smile break out, "I'm Theodora, daughter of Tannath, but call me Teddy" the darker blonde said to her whilst nudging her elbow into Arizona's. All of the girls wore similar styled clothes, plain earth colours, some wore vests, others longer sleeves, some wore skirts but most of them wore trousers. Their hairs were all in different styles, some hanging loose, most wear pleated and others were tied with rope back from their faces, Arizona spotted jewellery on most of the girls' wrists and necks, maybe they could teach her how to make some necklaces someday. "Arizona, daughter of Emmahlia, and thank you" she smiled whilst looking around the table, most of them were looking at her intently as if they were waiting for her to tell some sort of a joke. _Say something! Anything!_ "Are all of you warriors?" she asked whilst jumping in surprise at a boy who came behind her to serve her a bowl of vegetable soup and bread. After thanking the boy she began picking at her bread, she hadn't realised how hungry she was until now. How long had it been since she ate? 12 hours?

"No, we are all companions. Our warriors are due to arrive in the early hours of dawn" Meredith, daughter of Ellis, replied. "Where are they?" the blonde asked whilst tipping the bowl so she could catch every last drop in the once full bowl. "They are defending our borders, two days walk from here" a shy copper-haired girl that she later found out was April, daughter of Althea. Arizona nodded and gave a quick glance around the hall; everyone was so happy and seemed so content in their huge home. _I hope I learn to love this_ _place_ she thought to herself as her eyes stopped at her mother throwing her head back in laughter at something the Lady had said to her. _This could be the last time I see my Mother in months, maybe years._

xxxxxx

Emmahlia had left later that evening unable to visit her brother Timarion as he was now a warrior and at the front with the others, she wished her daughter the health, happiness and friendships she herself made there on the same ground as she stood and reminded her that she had her family here with Tim and the Lady. Teddy was keen to show Arizona around the land and make her feel as welcomed as she had felt coming here. "So this is the male warriors and companion's house" she said whilst looking up at the building in front of her. It wasn't an overly large building but Teddy had informed her that there were only around 30 male inhabitants in Lady Regina's House. "My brother is a warrior here; may I go and speak to him at any time?" Arizona asked whilst looking around trying to spot her brother who she hadn't seen in nearly two years. "We're not really allowed in the male's quarters, they are allowed to take their meals in the Great Hall and have their freedom of it but the rest of the house is forbidden to them" Teddy said with a smirk on her face. "But I mean, that doesn't stop some of the companions here, I've even seen a warrior or two sneaking in also!" she said with raised eyebrows and a little snort. Arizona laughed at the taller blonde who she decided was going to be a friend of hers. "Who's your brother anyway?" Teddy asked as she started to lead Arizona to their designated quarters behind the Great Hall. "Timarion, son of Emmahlia" Arizona sighed. She had been looking forward to being reunited with her brother, she needed a familiar face. She was already starting to feel anxious about leaving her village, her forest, her Mother. She even wished Kia was here just so she could feel relaxed. "Your brother is Tim!" Teddy said in a gasp as she brought her feet to a halt. Arizona's eye widened in surprise as Teddy turned to grab hold of her sleeves, "This is great, I've been trying to make him ask to court me for weeks" she said with a smile big enough to make Arizona burst out laughing.

After a tour of the grounds, the kitchen: where the old women lived who were once warriors and now council for the Lady, and what seemed to be every other nook and cranny of Regina's House, Teddy finally brought Arizona to the companions' loft. The loft was just a platform over the end of the Great Hall farthest from the hearth. It had no walls, only a railing to keep companions from toppling over the side. The warriors slept upstairs, above the kitchen, each in her own little room portioned off from the others. Teddy had told Arizona that as soon as dawn came they would go to the Great Hall for breakfast where she would meet the warrior that the Lady had placed her with. The loft didn't have much organisation; Teddy had explained that you really just sleep where there was space and where you could squeeze your bed into. "I asked Mer to make you up a bed before we did our tour, so you'll be bunking next to me" she finished with a smile before turning and leading both of them through the crowd of girls all sitting or lying around them. They reached the circle of girls, most of which Arizona had recognised from earlier in the day. "Girls, so Arizona has a brother here" Teddy said with a smile causing Arizona's cheeks so burn. _Oh shit._

 _"_ Who? Is he courting yet, or betrothed?" Amelia, daughter of Carolyn, asked, her bright eyes widening as she shuffled closer to the blonde.

"Timarion son of-"

"Tim is your brother?" a dark haired girl asked with a genuine smile "What?!" she said as she saw all of the girls giving her judging glares.

"Lexie, you've been courting Markus for how long now, I don't think you should be getting all excited over Tim" Josephina, who apparently went by Jo, daughter of Louanna said with a judging eyebrow raise.

"Wha- what, no, I was just- Oh whatever. You guys are so mean" she said with a sigh prompting a rub on the back from Meredith and a hand on the knee from April.

"Don't worry little sister, they're only joking, aren't you girls?" Meredith said with a laugh and a wink.

"You're sisters?" Arizona said with a questioning smile, dying to make some friendships at the Lady's House before she was paired with her warrior tomorrow.

"Yes, there's ten months between us" Meredith said with a smile

"Yeah, Mer will be becoming a warrior in two months" Lexie said with a proud smile whilst playing with the linen of her night time trousers.

The girls were interrupted by an older woman who had climbed the stairs to tell them that it was now time for the companions to be settled into bed as they had a busy day tomorrow with the return of the warriors. Arizona was shown to her space which was in between Teddy and Amelia, she wrapped herself under the blanket and watched as the girls who were making so much noise silenced around her, candles were blown out and they were now surrounded my only the dim light of the moon poking through the windows.

"Don't worry Arizona, you'll find your spirit here" Teddy whispered before closing her eyes.

 _Goddess, I hope so._

xxxxxxx

The Great Hall was buzzing. There were screams of excitement coming from every direction. Companions were running up to their warriors to greet them after what had been a three week trip. Although the blonde knew that it was extremely common for companions to court their warriors, she was surprised at just how many were embraced in each other's arms. Some companions charged after the male warrior, but most were companions and female warriors. She looked around, wondering which one was going to be hers and whether or not she may find her first love at Regina's House.

"ZONA!" she could recognise that deep and homely voice anywhere. Looking around she frantically tried to find the source of the calls. It wasn't long until she saw the tall and broad blonde running through the ocean of people straight at her.

"Tim!" she screamed as her eyes filled up with tears of joy. Tim finally reached his younger sister; he immediately picked her up and swung Arizona in multiple circles. He eventually dropped her onto her feet and engulfed her into a huge hug, Arizona hadn't realised how much she needed this hug from her brother until she felt all of her worries wash away from her. Pulling away from the smaller blonde Tim looked her up and down. "Look at you! You're beautiful just like Mother!" he said with a proud smile. "I don't think you've grown much since I last saw you" he said with a cheeky grin receiving a punch in the shoulder from his sister. Arizona traced over her brothers face, although it had not been an overly long time since he left for Regina's House, his face had matured and his once pale skin had now been sun-kissed after many days keeping guard in the sunshine. He wore navy coloured woven trousers and a white tunic that had two string ties dangling to his stomach.

"Hey, it's only been two years, what do you expect" she said teased, her dimples matching the ones standing a foot taller than her.

Arizona had brought Tim to her table, much to Teddy's delight, and she found that she was able to come out of the shell a lot more now that she had Tim's company. They spoke about their mother and Tim caught up with the happenings of their small village home. "You're not betrothed to that Kia are you?" he asked with a look of disdain. "No I am not, I've told you, I do not wish to be betrothed to Kia, I know Mother is convinced but it's not happening" she said with a frown whilst stabbing her breakfast eggs.

Tim smiled at his sister's frustration; she had always been the hot-headed child and was forever losing her temper when things didn't go her way. The two had been extremely close growing up, almost like twins; it had killed him moving away from such a closed-knit family, he was just so glad that she was here in his new home.

"How was the front, Tim?" Teddy asked in the most feminine tone Arizona had heard her speak in yet, receiving a "really" look from Arizona she shook it off she glanced back at Tim whilst playing with the rope of the necklace around her neck.

"We have to go back in the morning" he sighed, playing with his porridge, "Erica thinks that the western tribes are restless and something is going to happen fast, so we need to be there when it does".

"Shit! Erica!" Teddy said whilst jumping up from the table, sweeping over the room she found ice cold eyes staring back at her from the Lady's table. She picked up her cup of water and ran to greet the warrior.

Arizona watched the whole situation confused and shocked at the startled exit. "What was that all about?" she asked the group, most who were sitting with their warriors.

"Erica is the warrior's commander, she's also Teddy's warrior. Let's just say, she isn't the most pleasant of warriors to have" April chimed in as she sat next to her warrior Reed.

Deciding she would approach Teddy on the subject later in the day Arizona turned back to her brother. "So if the warriors are leaving tomorrow, I should seek mine now. Do you know who she is?" she asked, only receiving a shake of the head before the older blonde engaged conversation with the males to his left.

"I think she might have the old one you know" Tim's friend Alexander, Alex, ruffed as he inhaled his breakfast in front of him.

"Surely she would not have been assigned a companion" Tim replied, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"What do you mean the old one? Do I have an older warrior? Is she nice?" Arizona asked, but all she received was a table of concerned faces.

xxxxxxx

Regina's House was a sanctuary to all that seemed loyal and true by the Lady. The grounds were open to those who were not from a tribe, family or village. Those who had lost their families or were orphaned from a tribe and looked for sanctuary, if deemed true by the Lady they would be safe under the realms of Lady Regina. They were called wards of the House, they would remain wards until they were granted permission from Regina to become companions if they wished to become one. Others took up trades such as blacksmiths. It was one of the younger blacksmith wards that showed Arizona to her warrior's door, her hair was black and tangled and Arizona wondered how someone so small and covered in soot was still visible. The ward knocked on the door, gave Arizona a quick and concerning look and literally ran away from her down the corridor they had just walked up.

"Wait-" Arizona shouted after her. _I don't know my warriors name or if she's even in her room!_ "Hello?" Arizona said as she knocked again on the door in front of her. "My name is Arizona and I am your companion". _What in Earth's name am I supposed to do here? Do I check to see if she's in and just sleeping? Maybe she's tired and has went for a nap?_ The blonde pushed open the wooden door and found herself in a small and bare room. The window at the opposite end of the bedroom filled the room with light as her warrior had opened the wooden shutters, the only furniture was a chest and a bed. A bed which had her warrior sitting crossed-legged on top of it with her head down focusing on stitching a hole in what looked like a skirt that she had what Arizona had presumed, received from her days on the front.

"Hello I am Arizona, daughter of Emmahlia, I am your com-"

"I do not need, nor care for a companion. Leave" the girl who couldn't have been more than a year or two older than herself spoke with such anger that Arizona took the smallest of steps backwards. She still hadn't looked up and black hair covered the majority of her face. Arizona did see her beautifully tanned skinned that looked as though it came from birth, not the sun. She was wearing grey trousers that cut off just above her knee as well as a grey shirt of the same colour and material that had no sleeves and rested just above her stomach. Arizona could see that her warrior was strong, legs, arms and stomach muscles where all prominent. The sun that came through the window highlighted little scars across her body which made Arizona all the more curious about this warrior who bore skin like she had never seen and hair darker than any night sky she had witnessed.

"But I have been told by Lady Regina that I am to-"

It was then that the dark haired warrior lifted her head to face the blonde standing in front of her. "I do not need nor care for a warrior. Leave." she gritted through white teeth. Arizona took in her warriors features. She didn't think she'd ever seen a woman so beautiful, her eyes were as dark as her hair that ran down her back, her eyelashes were just as dark and long, her face again tanned and tinted with a flush of anger that matched the colour of her plump lips. She had stopped fiddling with the item of clothing she was attempting to sew and looked straight into Arizona now widened blue eyes.

"No. I have been sent here by the Lady. I am your companion and you are my warrior." Arizona said weakly, hearing the cracks in her own voice. This didn't seem to phase her warrior as she stood from her bed, threw down her article of clothing and headed for the door. She had noticed that the warrior was barefoot and asked herself where she thought she was going to go without protection on her feet. _Do I follow her?!_ the blonde asked herself as she watched her warrior who stood a couple inches taller than her run down the stairs that the small and sooty blacksmith girl had ran down just moments ago. Looking at the grey skirt her warrior had thrown across the room Arizona thought about staying and waiting for her return for only a split second before running after the dark haired girl.

Running down the stairs she crossed through the kitchen, ducking and diving between the older women who were now shouting at her to slow down and watch what she was doing around boiling water. Her warrior was stood at the doors of the Great Hall, her eyes shut and her lungs taking deep breaths of the air around her. She heard Arizona running up to the door before the smaller woman burst out of the doors. The warrior turned and gave Arizona a glare which told the blonde not to follow her and within seconds black hair followed the long tanned legs that were running outside of the gates into Regina's land towards the forest. An out of breath Arizona watched as her warrior ran off into forest. What was she supposed to do? Her warrior didn't want her?

xxxxxx

She had been sitting in her warrior's room for several hours and the sun was ready to set which would mean it would be time for bed soon. Her raven haired warrior hadn't returned. She'd kept herself busy with her companion duties, she'd finished sewing the hole in the grey skirt after witnessing the terrible attempt that had been made previously, she had made the bed, washed her warrior's shoes and organised the bag that she had taken to the front with her. Now she was sitting, waiting for the warrior who didn't seem like she was returning in the slightest. Letting out a sigh and a shake of her head Arizona left the bare room and made her way to the companions' loft. Warriorless.

xxxxxx

Her warriors name was a name that she had never heard before. "I think it's pronounced _Calliope_ , but she gets annoyed when people call her that because apparently we can't pronounce it, so people just know her has either Callie or 'the Old one". Teddy explained over breakfast the next day. The warriors had left, although she had managed to say goodbye to her brother, she hadn't even caught a glimpse of _Callie._ "Why the "old" one? She doesn't look any older than twenty-two years?" Arizona asked confused,

"She's from the old tribe" Amelia pitched into the conversation, her mouth full of bread.

"What, as in the actual _old ones_?" Arizona asked her eyebrows raising in surprise. Of course she had heard of the old ones, they were thought to be originated from the first tribe in history. They knew the elements more than any other tribe and were rumoured to be able to speak to the spirits whenever they please as they were that in-touch with nature. She

"Uh-huh" Lexi agreed "Well, that's what is rumoured anyway, she arrived here about four months ago in the height of winter with hardly a stitch on her and starving. She asked for sanctuary under the Lady's protection in return for an excellent soldier. The Lady accepted and she's been here ever since, she's made no effort in speaking to anyone and people are wary of her, they think she'll put hexes on them so they make no effort with her" Lexie said with a shrug "Which is pretty sad if you ask me".

"Well why don't you go make friends with her then?" April laughed

"Hexes" Lexie said seriously.

The group burst out laughing, even Arizona couldn't help but join in. She'd finally settled with these group of companions and she believed that she had found her friends that would last her a lifetime. Her warrior Callie intrigued her though. Not only was she dark and beautiful, her background was fascinating. Where were her people? Why did she not want to make friends in her new home? These questions would be answered when the warriors returned, she was determined. Until that point she had a lot of learning to do around the role as a companion and Teddy and the rest of the companions were about to take her on a tour around the laundry room.

 ** _I hope you all enjoyed this Chapter. I know that it's slow but I promise it will pick up in the next couple chapters, I'm just trying to give you all a background in what's happening. Any questions so far? :)_** ****


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